Piece of Cake: The Wedding Read online

  They were going back to Kendal’s room, which was the closest one, while the guests moved to the ballroom located on the next floor. This would give them a chance to talk and kiss some more. Once she’d tasted Kendal’s lips and pressed up against her, Holly couldn’t imagine losing that privilege ever again. She glanced at Kendal’s face as they entered the hallway. Now when she wasn’t smiling at the guests’ exuberance, her eyes seemed bigger, as if they held a multitude of questions.

  Chapter Five

  Kendal stood in her room again, and all she could think of was how she had pressed Holly against the wall in here only a short while ago. Now, such an action seemed outrageous and…undoable. They were married, and the kiss they shared in front of family and friends had sealed their deal. Was it still just a deal, or had their mutual actions earlier changed the dynamic? Kendal knew nothing had changed for her, as she had loved Holly for a long time. Holly, as it were, had turned everything on its head by returning the kisses with hot and sweet fervor. And then her vows…Somehow Holly had changed her mind and gone off script and spoken in such a way, albeit somewhat ambiguous, that she might truly care for Kendal.

  “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” Holly asked, breaking Kendal’s train of thought.

  Holly placed her warm hands on Kendal’s shoulders and turned her around to face her. Kendal moved as if without any personal will but didn’t meet Holly’s gaze. Instead she scanned her hands, noticing the two golden bands that showed the world she was married. Married and connected to the woman who held her vulnerable heart in her hands with all that power it gave her. Holly could keep holding it carefully, or she could dig her fingers into it and crush it as if it were made of fine china.

  “Please. Look at me?” Holly cupped Kendal’s chin and encouraged her to meet her gaze. “Talk to me. Why are you so distant? Are you upset? Did I do something wrong?” Holly sounded sincere. “If I did, tell me. I can’t learn to be a good wife, a proper wife, if you don’t communicate when I screw up.”

  “You—you didn’t screw up. I’m just…overwhelmed.” Kendal relaxed marginally. “I wasn’t prepared for your beautiful vows. And you spoke so confidently and didn’t even have it written down. I’m trying not to read too much into that, but it’s hard.” Kendal could see that her statement made Holly gasp.

  “What are you afraid you read into it?” Holly whispered. She cleared her throat gently. “I thought I was pretty open.”

  “You were. But you were also a bit convoluted. A lot of it can be interpreted in different ways, and I don’t want to make a fool of myself for jumping to conclusions.” Her stomach fluttering, Kendal knew she had to take the first step, no matter how much she risked her poor heart. “I wanted for your vows to mean you truly care for me, in a ‘wifey’ kind of way.” She hoped she wasn’t being too vague. No way could she make herself be entirely blunt with how she truly felt. If Holly shut her down after expressing her love, Kendal knew she would never recover.

  “Of course I truly care.” Holly slid her hand back around Kendal’s neck and her free arm around Kendal’s waist. “I wanted to blurt out just how much during the ceremony, but a little voice in my head insisted I speak with you first.”

  “Here I am.” Kendal gestured at herself.

  “Yes, you are.” Holly rose on her toes and pressed her lips to Kendal’s. Immediately, all rational thoughts fluttered away like tiny hummingbirds, and all Kendal could do was wrap her arms around Holly’s neck and hold on tight. Holly parted her lips and Kendal took that as an invitation. Slipping her tongue inside, she found its counterpart ready to dance and caress. Breathing through her nose, Kendal didn’t want the kiss to end.

  Holly moved both her hands in firm circles on Kendal’s back. It was as if she was mapping that part of Kendal for future reference. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking. Either way, Holly’s touch ignited little fires, and Kendal wondered how she would have reacted if Holly had actually touched her skin and not just on the outside of her clothes. She might not survive such a thing if it ever occurred.

  Sliding her mouth down Kendal’s neck, Holly made the most delicious noises as she kissed and licked her way toward Kendal’s clavicles and neckline. She hummed and nipped at Kendal’s skin, making her knees literally buckle.

  “Hey, hold on to me, darling.” Holly pulled her right hand toward her, and then it was holding Kendal’s left breast.

  “Oh!” Kendal jerked and held on harder to Holly. “Yes. Oh, yes.”

  “Mmm. Such a pretty breast. Just perfect,” Holly murmured in between gasps. She massaged Kendal in small movements.

  Certain Holly had to guess she wore only a barely there La Perla bra, Kendal felt her nipples harden and unbidden images of Holly closing her lips around them, licking, biting, made her whimper.

  “Holly. God, don’t stop. I’ll die if you stop…” Shaking, Kendal clung to Holly, burying her nose into Holly’s fragrant hair. Her scent always made Kendal want to do something like this, and now she reveled in having the chance.

  “I won’t stop. Not unless you tell me too. You’re not the only one who…” Whatever Holly had meant to say was lost when Kendal knew she had to act or risk incinerating. She held Holly closer and turned them both ninety degrees and sat down on the dining table. Now she parted her legs and pulled Holly in between them. “Mmm.” Kendal slipped her hands under the downy angora bolero and found more naked skin than she had anticipated. Caressing Holly, sliding her fingertips over her back, Kendal hummed with pleasure. “You feel amazing.”

  “As do you. I don’t ever want to let go.” Holly pushed Kendal’s caftan off her shoulders, and Kendal felt it fall to the floor around her feet. She couldn’t care less.

  Unbuttoning the tiny mother-of-pearl buttons down the front of Kendal’s shirt, Holly moaned. “Kendal, your skin…do you have any idea what it does to me? So smooth, so beautiful…and the scent. You’re out to drive me insane. I can see that now.”

  This made Kendal chuckle. “I’m not. Well, not deliberately.” She found a small zipper under Holly’s bolero and pulled it down. This revealed the skin on Holly’s back, and Kendal ran her hands over the warm, satiny surface. She pressed her lips against Holly’s neck and kissed a trail along her jawline to her ear. Holly’s perfume surrounded her, drew her in and made her feel they were alone in the world.

  Holly’s hands found her breasts, and eager fingertips plucked at Kendal’s nipples. She growled against Holly’s neck, trembling at the intimate touch as the elegant, slender hands she had admired every day for so long caressed her.

  A knock on the door pulled them apart as if a katana had slashed through the air between them. Kendal wrapped the shirt around her and took another step back. “Yes?”

  “Kendal, it’s your mother. You’re expected in the ballroom. Your friends are tearing the place down with clapping and calling your names.”

  “We’ll be there, Mom. Give us a few moments.” She stopped and looked at Holly, who stood, arms crossed over her chest, unmoving, with a slightly dazed expression in her eyes.

  “All right. We’ll be just outside the ballroom.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Kendal couldn’t bear to watch Holly look so forlorn. This was the larger-than-life individual she was used to managing the daily business with—and she looked mortally wounded or something. Kendal hugged Holly close. “Talk about bad timing.”

  “What? Oh. Yes.” Holly blushed faintly. “It’s all right. We have to go to the reception. They’re expecting us.” She tried to uncross her arms, but Kendal felt if she let Holly slip away now, she might never find out about the changed vow.

  “I know, but since this is our party, we can be a little late. What are they going to do? Sue us?” She kissed Holly’s cheek lightly.

  Snorting, Holly still looked uneasy. “Since some of them are from our legal department, who knows?” She freed herself and picked up Kendal’s caftan from the floor. Placing it over her arm, Holly buttoned Kendal’s
shirt and helped her don the caftan. “Good. It doesn’t wrinkle easily.”

  “I don’t care. It’s not like they don’t think we’ve been making out while they were finding their seats anyway.” Kendal enjoyed the scandalized look on Holly’s face. She took her wife—her wife­­—by the hand and pulled them over to the large mirror. Holly’s hair needed some repair, but nothing that a few bobby pins and some hairspray couldn’t fix. “There. Good as new.” Kendal ran a thumb along the delicate shell of Holly’s ear down to her earring. “Better even. I like that shimmer in your eyes.”

  “Shimmer?” Holly scanned their reflection. “God. I look like we did a lot more than kiss.” She sounded half horrified, half amused.

  “As do I, I think.” Kendal watched her full lips and the deep blush in her cheeks. “You know how to kiss a girl, Holly.”

  “Look who’s talking.” Holly smiled and looked at Kendal through her eyelashes. “So. Ready to face the music? Literally?”

  “Not really, since I’d rather hide away with you, but this is our show so…” Kendal winked at Holly and took her hand. “We’ll talk more later, right? About stuff?”

  “Yes. About stuff.” Holly kissed Kendal’s knuckles and then they left the room to meet all their guests as married women.

  Chapter Six

  Candles and small table lamps lit the room. The ceiling light was dimmed to a minimum, for which Holly was grateful, as she honestly didn’t want anyone to study her too closely until she had her emotions under control. Kissing and fondling Kendal had turned out to be vastly different than she ever imagined. She’d expected the physical part of it, but not the deepening emotional impact. When she’d caressed Kendal’s naked breasts under her long shirt, she’d felt Kendal tremble, and those tremors had taken her breath away.

  If she felt like that while making out, as Kendal put it, what would happen to her view of the world, of herself, when they made love? Would she ever be the same? Was it a mistake to let it go that far since they had originally intended to part after three years? Or—

  “More wine, ma’am?” A waitress offered a bottle of red wine in her hands.

  “Oh. No, no thank you. I’d like some water though, please.” Holly smiled automatically.

  “Right away, ma’am.” The waitress walked over to a cart full of beverages.

  “Are you all right, Holly?” Kendal bent near, her scent so familiar now. “You’ve hardly eaten anything.” She pointed at the food on Holly’s plate.

  “I’m fine. I promise. I’m just a little warm.” It was very warm in the ballroom, at least for Holly. She wanted to take off the angora bolero but was afraid she’d feel too exposed.

  Kendal touched the back of her hand to Holly’s cheek. “You’re a bit hot, yes. Why don’t you take that fluffy, pretty thing off? I’m warm too, and I’m going to the restroom and lose the shirt in a minute. The caftan is designed to be worn by itself as well.”

  “Oh, good.” Glad not to be the only one, Holly allowed the bolero to slip down her arms and hung it over the backrest of her chair. The waitress returned to the table with two pitchers of water and poured two large glasses for them.

  Someone made a pinging sound, and it turned out to be Harrison tapping his wineglass with his knife. Standing up, he turned to Holly and Kendal, his smile broad and hearty. “Kendal and Holly. Two beautiful women who work hard in the cutthroat world of international business. As a mere small-town lawyer, I’m in awe of you. Kendal, as your father, I couldn’t be prouder. You’re our youngest child, and you’ve always marched to your own drummer. When you came out to us, you did so with your usual confidence, and you were only sixteen. You told us you’d known for almost two years that you liked girls, and though you held your head high and regarded your mother and me quite defiantly, we could tell you needed us to reassure you. For us, that was a no-brainer. You’re our daughter. We love you. Your sexual preference has nothing to do with our love for you, our youngest child. Your mother and I are blessed to have two such amazing daughters. One straight and one gay—you both bring us such happiness.

  “Then you met Holly. She is your boss, and in the beginning you did moan about what a taskmaster she was, or is,” Harrison said and winked at them. Laughter erupted around him and he beamed. “What we didn’t know was what a beauty she is, inside and out, and how fast you fell for her. When you started talking about her each and every day over the phone or face-to-face with us, your mother and I, who know you so well, saw how you lit up and literally glowed.

  “Finally we got to meet Holly, and we could see how this brilliant woman, so poised and elegant, and with a Scottish accent that charms everyone she meets, was right up your alley. Holly is a generous, kind, and protective person, who I look forward to getting to know better as time goes by. As my daughter-in-law now, Holly, I want you to know that we welcome you into our family.” Harrison raised his glass. “I want to propose a toast to the happy couple. Here’s to Kendal and Holly!”

  “Kendal and Holly!” the wedding guests echoed and raised their glasses as they rose to their feet.

  Holly was stunned. Kendal had told her mother, father, and sister about the true nature of their marriage, which her conversation with Jasmine showed all too well, yet Harrison’s speech made her wonder if they truly understood. She glanced at Kendal, who wiped tears from her eyelashes with the tip of her index finger.

  “That was sweet of your father.” Holly turned to whisper into Kendal’s ear. “He didn’t have to say all that.”

  “Trust me. I know my dad. He’s very straightforward. He meant every word.” Kendal gripped Holly’s hand under the table. “Are you all right with that?”

  Was she? The biggest part of Holly was thrilled. She loved Kendal with all her heart, and being welcomed into this family of passionate, kind people was amazing. A small, ice-cold part feared she was hoping for too much, allowing herself to dream the impossible and that believing in Harrison’s words too much would set her up for a world of pain. “I’m all right. I really appreciate what he said.” This was true.

  “Okay then. I’m going to pop into the ladies’ room before anyone else starts a speech. I’ll be right back.” Kendal kissed Holly lightly on the lips and left.

  “You’re amazing.” Jasmine stopped behind Kendal’s empty chair. “You must have both wielded some magical wand and created some love spell, because I’ve never seen two people more in love…even if the two of you look a bit clueless.” She bent forward and lowered her voice. “I’m not sure how it all happened and I don’t care,” Jasmine murmured. “I just know what I see, and even if you both have that deer-caught-in-the-headlight look about you, it’s clear to me you’ve got it going on.”

  She did a friendly little fist bump against Holly’s shoulder. “I couldn’t be more happy to be wrong. Guess there’s a first time for everything, right?” Giving a raucous laugh that sounded so like Kendal’s, Jasmine straightened up. “Suppose we’re sisters now, eh?”

  “What are you filling poor Holly’s ears with now?” Kendal interrupted them from behind before Holly could answer the fast-talking Jasmine.

  “No poison. Just a heartfelt welcome to our family a little on the down-low.” Jasmine grinned and hurried back to her end of their long table. Holly and Kendal were seated in the center, and Holly was happy she had managed to persuade Kendal they didn’t need any sort of flower-adorned arch to point them out at the main table. Instead, they sat in front of an impressive centerpiece of orchids and white roses.

  “Was she nagging you again?” Kendal asked suspiciously.

  “Not at all. She was actually quite sweet. Not sure, but I think the fact we meant to call it off, but didn’t, sent some message whether we intended to or not.” Holly lost herself in the dark espresso of Kendal’s eyes.

  Another pinging sound made all the guests go quiet. This time, it was Holly’s mother. Holly wanted to hide. Her mother was the romantic, sappy type. She had dedicated her life to charities ever since she
married Holly’s father, some forty years ago. Now at sixty-eight, she was still a beautiful woman, and Holly knew many people thought she looked just like her.

  Holly didn’t expect a lot from her mother’s speech. She had never quite addressed the fact that she had a gay daughter, nor had she taken part in the wedding preparations like Kendal’s mother had. Holly could blame that on the geographical distance, but she doubted that her mother would have been very interested even if they’d gotten married in Edinburgh.

  “Holly and Kendal, family and friends,” Gwen McAllister said with her Scottish accent that was so familiar, but also a bit alien to Holly’s ears after years in the US. “To witness you getting married here in this country that only recently voted for marriage equality is nothing short of a miracle. To find love is miraculous in itself, and to discover it in someone you work so closely with…well, if not entirely unusual, it is still special.” Gwen nodded to Holly and Kendal again. “I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know Kendal as well as I would’ve liked, but the phone calls across the Atlantic have shown me beyond a doubt that Holly struck gold in more ways than one with this young woman.”

  Holly could hardly believe her ears. Had her mother used a speechwriter before the wedding? She hadn’t expected her mother’s words and actions to be so warm.

  “When you, Holly, called me to say you were getting married, I admit I was surprised. I had not heard you mention anyone special up till that point, but after a while, all you could talk about was Kendal. I think I learned more about this sweet young woman through your unusually openhearted calls than from talking to Kendal herself later on. You were always such a private girl, Holly, and I took this new openness on your part as a sign of the obvious—my strong-willed, ambitious daughter had finally, finally fallen in love.”